Torque measuring tool



May 2, 1944- w. sToRRlE I 2,348,098

ToRQUE MEASURING TooL Filed Nov. 1o, 1945 ATTORNEYS Patentes May 2.` 1944 2,348,098

'romana MEAsUnmG 'root William Storrie. Bumford, B. I., assignor to Apco liosabtetrg Company, a corporation of Massac use s Application November l0, 1943, Serial No. 589.711 y Claims.

This invention relates to a torque measuring tool and has special reference to a device for applying a turning force to a nut or a'bolt in a manner such that this force may be measured.

In the building of modern machinery or rebuilding and tuning up high grade or precision tightening of studs and bolts is required. A mechanical indication is found'to be more certain than the skill. dependent upon feel, of the best mechanics, in order that even tension may be had throughout the work operated upon.

One of the objects of'this invention is to provide a exible beam which may be strengthened by the addition of flexiblebars positioned along I an arrangement in which the ilexing strength of the beam may be readily supplemented by the addition of a plurality of flexible bars on either side thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wrench which may operate both on right hand or left hand'bolts or nuts with equal facility. With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of con- (ol. zes-.1)

.mechanical structures accurate and uniform struction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing: Fig. 1 is a top plan View of the tool with the beam unstressed;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating the beam as stressed in a clockwise direction;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the tool;

v l Fig. 4 is a section on substantially line I--l of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a tool similar to Fig. 1 but modified to the extent of utilizing additional side bars;

Fig. 6 illustrates in section a modied form of structure shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a fragmental section showing the re-r lation of the scale and pointer.

In proceeding with this invention I provide a head to engage the work, to' which head, there is. ilxedly attached a beam which may be ilexed.

in Fig. 1.

On the end of this beam a handle is provided through which ilexing pressure may be applied to the head. A scale is carried by the handle and bars are provided at either side of the beam which are also flexible, the bar on one side of the beam being picked up and assisting in restricting movement of the beam while the bar on the other side serves as a pointer to move over the scale car'- ried by the handle, in order to determine the turning force which is being applied to the head through the beam.

' Withreference to the drawing, I0 designates a head which is slotted as at Il for the reception of a beam I2 having a free or movable end portion I3 upon which a handle I4 is provided. This handle may be of a molded plastic form slotted as at I5 to receive the beam I2 therein; the beam being heldin position by bolts I 6 and I1 as shown A slot I 8 may also be formed in the handle into which a scale I9- may be positioned and held by two pins 20. 'I'his scale is positioned above the beam but will move with the beam as it is iiexed along the arc of a parabola as indicated at 2| in Fig. 2.

Slots 22 are provided on either side of the head I0 in spaced relation to the slot Il for the reception of bars 23 and 24 which are also of a ilexible nature and which are held to the head together with the beam I2 by means of rivets 25 which extend through the bars, beam and head to hold these parts in assembled relation, as shown in Fig. 1.

The free ends 26 and -21 of each of these bars 23 and 24 are equipped lwith a pointer 28 which is attached to the bar on the side of -the bar nearest to the beam. This pointer 28 has assembled on it a contact member 29 by means of riveting of a reduced portion of this contact as at 30 and riveting it to the pointer 28 while the pointer is assembled on the bar by means of rivets 3l such as shown in Fig. 4. In some instances the pointer 28 may be riveted directly to the bar 21 by a contact member 32 reduced as at 33 and extending.

through the bar 21 and enlarged as at 34. This portion 3 3 and the opening throughwhich it passes maybe squared to prevent rotation ofthe.

pointer 28 on the bar. The member 29 'or 32 is of a suilicient extent to ll the space between the bars and to contact or substantially contact with the beam I2 when in unstressed condition.

By this arrangement when pressure is applied to the handle Il in a clockwise direction as shown in Fig. 2'the beam I2 will be flexed along the arc of a parabola as shown in Fig. 2, the contact 29 will be engaged and move the` bar 24 with the beam while the bar 23 will remain unmoved and its pointer 28 will indicate on the moved scale i9 the pressure that is being applied through the beam to the work which is engaged by the head.

A suitable squared work-engaging means 35 on the head is indicated as one means for engaging work. If the movement of the handle i4 is in a clockwise direction a suitable tension is applied. for tightening a right-handed bolt or mit. If, however, it is desired to tighten a left-handed bolt or nut, handle I4 would then be moved in a counterclockwise direction with reference to the head, the bar 23 would be moved through engagement with the contact 29 and carried by the end 26 thereof and the bar 24 and its end 2l would remain stationary with the scale carried by the handle movable under this pointer to show the amount of pressure that was being applied on the work through the head. Where right-handed pressure is applied a plus indication is shown on the scale I9 while when leithanded pressure is applied this is indicated as minus on the scale. Any suitable datum lines may of course be provided for the indication desired in inch pounds, inch ounces, or any other measurement.

In cases Where it .is desired to additionally supplement the resistance provided for the beam l2 more than one bar will be used and I have indicated in Fig. additional bars 23 on one side and 24' on the other, each equipped with itsv contact element 32 to in this case engage the next adjacent bar 23 or 24 inwardly thereof and to be moved by this bar as the beam iiexes in one direction or the other. Any suitable multiple of bars may be provided that the desired resistance may be had to turning movement. Where a number of bars are provided, one of these will serve as a pointer, usually the innermost one and the other bars instead of carrying a pointer will carry the contact element such as 32 to iill the space between the bars but yet permit sliding movement of the bars with reference to each other and with reference to the beam as flexing occurs.

yVarious magnitudes of resistance to turning may also be provided by the use of different size beams which may be -obtained with suiliciently uniform flexibility so that scales may be stamped out in multiple production.

. I claim:

1. A torque measuring tool comprising a head having a formation for engaging work, a deiiectable beam having one end xed to said head and extending therefrom, a handle including a gripping Iportion in fixed relation to the other end of said beam, a iiexible bar on each side of said beam each having one end iixed to said head and extending therefrom parallel to the unstressed position of said beam, the other end of said bars being adjacent to but free of and movable with relation to said handle. a scale on said handle and an indicator carried by the free end of each bar and extending over said scale whereby movement of the scale and beam in either direction will engage one bar and cause movement thereof with the beam While leaving the other bar to indicate on the scale the relative movement which occurs.

2. A torque measuring tool comprising a head having a formation for engaging work, a. deflectable beam having one end fixed to said head and extending therefrom, a handle including a gripping portion in iixed relation to the other end ascenso of said beam, a scale movable with said handle, a flexible bar on each side of said beam each having one end fixed to said head and extending therefrom parallel tcmK the unstressed position of said beam, the: other end oi said bars being adjacent to but free oi and movable: with relation to said scale and each provided with an indicator extending over said scale whereby movement of the .parallel tothe unstressed position of said beam,

the other end of each of said bars being adjacent to butfree oi' and' movable with relation to said handle, a scale on said handle and an indicator carriedl by the free end of each bar and extending over said scale whereby movement of the beam in either direction will engage one barv and cause movement of the several bars on one side of the. beam with the beam, while leaving the other bars to indicate on the scale the relative movement which occurs.

4. A torque measuring tool comprising a head having a formation for engaging work, a. deilectable beam having one end fixed to said head and extending therefrom, a handleincluding a gripping portion in fixed relation to the other end of said beam, a scale movable with said handle, a plurality of. flexible barsl on each side of said beam` each having one end fixed to said head and extending therefrom parallel to the unstressed position of said beam, the other end of each of said bars being adjacent to but free of and movable with relation to said scale and one bar on each side of the beam being provided with an indicator extending over said scale whereby movement of the handle and beam in either direction will engage one bar and cause movement of the several bars on one side of the beam with the beam, while leaving the other bars to indicate on the scale the relative movement which occurs.

5. A torque measuring tool comprising a head having a formation for engaging Work, a deflectable beam having one end xed to said head and extending therefrom, a, handle including a gripping portion in fixed relation to the other end of said beam, a scale movable With said handle, a flexible bar on each side of said beam, each bar having one end xed to said head in spaced relation to the beam and extending therefrom parallel to the unstressed position of said beam, the other end of each of said bars being adjacent to but free of and movable with relation to said scale, a -contact member on each bar at the free end of the bar extending toward the beam across the space between the beam and bar, an indicator carried by each bar extending over said scale whereby movement of the scale and beam in either direction will engage one bar through the contact member and cause movement thereof with the beam, while leaving the other bar to indicate on the scale the relative movement which occurs.

WILLIAM STORRIE. 

